Pole



April 23, 1957 H. c. PFAFF, JR

POLE

Filed Jan. 11, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 //////l I I IITIIIIIIIJ zs/wer K. Fran;

/ 1 ATTORNEY INVENTOR.

April 23, 1957' H. c. PFAFF, JR 2,789,669

POLE

Filed Jan. 11, 1955 ZSheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOIL; IVE/we y 6 F/IFP, J

BY M

ATTORNEY United States Patent POLE Henry C. Pfafr, Jr., Summit, N. J., assignor to Pfatf and Kendall, Newark, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application January 11, 1955, Serial No. 481,252

2 Claims. (Cl. 189-28) This invention relates to improvements in clamping devices, and more particularly to a device for clamping a hollow pole to a base member. As one example of many applications in connection with which the invention is useful, reference is made to the field of highway and trafiic poles to be secured to base members, the latter in turn being anchored to the roadway or other support. Pursuant to the present invention, a novel clamping device is provided which is adapted to be secured to poles of various diameters and which will enable said poles to be readily secured to the base members therefor in a rapid and eificient manner, at the site of installation of the poles, in tightly clamped relation.

These and other advantageous objects of the invention which will appear from the drawings and from the description below, are accomplished by the structure of my invention, of which an embodiment is illustrated in the drawings. It will be apparent, from a consideration of said drawings and the following description, that the invention may be embodied in other forms suggested thereby, and such other forms as come within the terms of the appended claims are to be considered within the scope and purview of the instant invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view, partly sectional, showing a hollow pole secured to a base member by the clamping device of this invention,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the lower end of the pole, showing the lock plate which is secured thereto, pursuant to the invention as it appears at line 22 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the lock plate,

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of a wedge member which may be used in carrying out the invention, taken at line 44 of Fig. 5,

Fig. 5 is a top plan view thereof, and

Fig. 6 is an end elevational view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

As shown in the drawings, the hollow pole 10 to be secured to the base member 11 pursuant to this invention, is provided with a stop member which, in the form shown in the drawing, is a ring 12 welded or otherwise secured to the pole, as at 13. It will be understood that instead of a continuous ring, one or more stud members may be secured to the pole for the purpose mentioned, at points spaced from the lower end 14 of the pole. A lock plate 15 is secured to said pole 10 internally, as, for example, by welding the same thereto as shown at 16 (Figs. 1 and 2) preferably below the point at which the stop member 12 is secured to said pole. The stop member 12 and the lock plate 15 are the only parts that need be secured to standard types of pole to carry out the present invention. The invention may be utilized in connection with the standard base members 11, and the hollow pole 10 may be provided with a collar portion 20 internally tapered as at 40, welded to base 11 as at 21, or otherwise secured thereto, or said portion 20 may be unitary with the base 11. The pole is secured to the base member pursuant to this invention by passing a plurality of movable connecting members, which may be bolts seated in recesses 23 in the locking plate and passing through apertures 24 in said plate 15 and through corresponding apertures 25 in wedge members 26. Said wedge members 26 have portions 27 for engagement with the underside of the lock plate 15 and have elongated portions 28 provided with faces 29 to conform to the external contour of the lower end of the pole 10 to slidably engage the same, and with opposite faces 30 at said portion 28 preferably tapered complementarily to the internally tapered portion 40 of the collar 20. Suitable nut members 31 may be provided for engagement with the bolt members 22 on tightening of said nut members, the wedge members will be drawn upwardly against the internally tapered portion 40 of the member 20, drawing the pole and the base member together into tight clamping relationship. Suitable lock washers 32 may be provided.

The stop member 12 and the free upper end 33 of the extended base member 11 or of member 20, may be provided with complementary tapered portions as shown in Fig. l at 33 so that the said parts will further cooperate in the locking, clamping action. If, for any reason, it is desired to disassemble the pole from the base member, that can be readily done by disengaging the members 22 and 31 of the movable means connecting the wedge members to the lock plate 15. In accordance with a base design used extensively by Pfaff and Kendall of Newark, New Jersey of which applicant is the preseident, in highway and lighting poles at the date of this application, the base members of such poles, particularly the parts 11 thereof, have been provided with doors for more convenient access to the interior of the bases wherein, transformers and other parts are frequently positioned. This door provides ready access to the interior of the base member, and enables one to adjust and operate the members 22, 27, 31 as desired. Furthermore, the internal opening of the member 15 (see Fig. 3) permits access to be had for that purpose by authorized persons.

In Fig. 3, the lock plate 15 is shown provided with three apertured recessed portions 34, 35, 36 to receive three bolt members, so that, in said form of invention, three wedge members 26 would be used. The number of wedge members used may be varied to conform to the requirements of the particular application. The parts may be so proportioned that the pole 10 initially has a slight clearance interiorly of the portion 20 of the base member 11.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A pole comprising an elongated tubular member, a stop member secured to the outer face of the tubular member and spaced from the lower end thereof, a ring secured to the tubular member internally of the lower end thereof, a hollow base member to receive the tubular member, the stop member abutting the upper end of the hollow base member and thus limiting the position of the tubular member in the base member, a plurality of apertures in said ring, bolts positioned in said apertures, with their heads abutting the ring, a plurality of wedge members positioned beneath the ring and within the base member, said wedge members being apertured to receive the bolts, said wedge members having upwardly and inwardly inclined outer faces, said base member having a complementarily formed upwardly and inwardly inclined inner surface, below the lower end of the tubular member inserted therein, adapted to be contacted by the inclined faces of the wedge members when the bolts are tightened, drawing the wedge members upwardly toward the ring and bringing the inclined faces of the wedge members into contact with said inclined inner surface of the base member, thereby drawing the tubular member and base member tightly together.

2. In a pole as set forth'in claim 1, said stop member ber when the bolts are tightened.

4 t References Citedinthe file of thisrpatent UNITED STATES PATENTS Branson Feb. 21, 1865 Carson July 12, 1932 s AUAMAAAI E5 4 

